John Legend, executive producer of WGN America's "Underground," poses with Maceo Smedley III at the show's premiere in Los Angeles.

Photo: Charley Gallay, Stringer

Standing in his father's church in Fresno, Maceo Smedley III is the picture of a typical 9-year-old boy. He snacks on a cookie and gabs about the movie "Zootopia" with his little brother, David, 5.

But put him in front of a camera, and he immediately shifts gears.

"I like sitting down and looking away from the camera - sitting down with my face serious. I like a sophisticated picture," said Maceo, who's become a pro at posing for head shots since he began acting at age 5.

Over the past four years, the third-grader has booked local and national commercials. You may recognize his cherub cheeks from a Build-A-Bear ad. But his most serious role yet is unfolding this spring, playing a young slave named James in WGN America's new drama "Underground."

The show, which tells the story of seven slaves running to freedom from a Georgia plantation, premiered in March. And though WGN has a smaller viewership than many independent networks, "Underground" has drawn a large audience. When the first episode aired March 9, 1.4 million people tuned in, earning a record for same-day viewing on an original WGN series.

"Underground" begins with a high-stakes chase, as one of the main characters, Noah, attempts to run away from Macon Plantation. Crouched in the woods, trying to evade the men and dogs chasing him, his hurried, staccato breathing takes on the beat of Kanye West's "Black Skinhead," setting the breakneck pace of a show that's thriller first and history lesson second.

The story twists and turns as characters morph from good to bad to conflicted shades of gray - always aided by a soundtrack that juxtaposes traditional gospel and call-and-response with current hits, no doubt the influence of executive producer John Legend.

"It's been very amazing watching the show. Like when I see myself on the TV, I get all chilly," Maceo said.

Next week, Maceo's character has a major storyline, bringing him to the center of the episode airing at 9 p.m. Wednesday. Maceo's character, James, spent much of the first six episodes in the background at "the big house" in the center of the plantation, where his mother is the head household slave. But in the seventh episode, James is sent to the fields to pick cotton, where he devises a plan to avoid lashes if he falls behind the daily quota. It's a peek into the conditions that leave the little boy's hands bloody, and Maceo's understated performance makes it feel honest and true.

"I like that James is smart and that he helps people by doing stuff," Maceo said. "It was fun to play him."

Maceo also enjoyed the filming process, which brought his family to Baton Rouge, La., several times last spring.

"Underground" has 10 episodes booked. Representatives for the show said no additional seasons have been ordered yet, but the Smedleys are optimistic the series will be a steppingstone for Maceo.

"We're hoping there will be a second season," said Maceo's father, Maceo Smedley II, who is pastor of the Promise Church. "The way it ends, it ends as though they could go into a second season."

But Smedley doesn't know how this one ends.

"I didn't read the script because I wanted to enjoy watching it," he said. "But I remember hearing rumors that there's a significant event that happens at the end that hints to people saying, 'We've gotta have a second season.' "

Either way, the experience has been great for the budding young actor, according to his father.

"I think one of the major things is not only the number of people who watched it but the directors he's worked with," Smedley said. "They've enjoyed working with him, and they saw how talented he was as an actor. And they're already talking about him in different circles - his name is getting out there."

Maceo doesn't have any other projects lined up right away, which means he can spend the spring focusing on third grade and watching himself light up the small screen from his family's couch on Wednesday nights.

Maggie Gordon is a features enterprise reporter at the Houston Chronicle, where she has worked since 2015.

Before joining the Chronicle, Maggie worked at papers in Connecticut, including the Stamford Advocate and the Greenwich Time, covering a variety of beats, from general assignment and municipal coverage to education, demographics and business reporting including real estate trends and the hedge fund industry. She is a graduate of the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

Greatest hits include a narrative about alligator hunting in a Texas bayou, a horse trainer's quest to tame a wild mustang in one summer, and a feature about the inmates in a transgender tank for sex workers in Houston's county jail. She loves quirky characters and stories that combine adventure and humanity. Bonus points if it unearths a love story.